1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a method for producing a cosmetic item. Furthermore, the invention relates to a corresponding device for producing a cosmetic article, and to packing unit containing cosmetic ingredients. A further aspect of the invention is the sale of pre-measured ingredients for producing cosmetic items.
2. Related Art
The cosmetic items mentioned at the beginning, such as, for example, creams, lotions or the like, are customarily sold to the final consumer as finished products. They are generally sold via cosmetic stores, drugstores, department stores or similar retail outlets. In these cases, the cosmetic articles are produced in appropriate factories away from the retail site and the consumer. Since some time passes between production and sale of the cosmetic articles, it is customary to add preservatives to the cosmetic items in order to extend the shelf life. In addition, cosmetic articles without preservatives and with a correspondingly shorter shelf life are occasionally also available.
As an alternative to the industrial production of cosmetic items, there is also the possibility of producing such items oneself with reference to recipes. The cosmetic ingredients from which the cosmetic item is essentially produced can be obtained via special drugstores. Preparation then takes place in situ at the premises of the final customer with reference to a recipe. A disadvantage of this solution is that the ingredients always have to be measured out.
DE 20 2004 011 856 U1 furthermore discloses a device for producing a care product, in which cosmetic products are kept ready in storage cartridges. Portions of the products are removed when required from the said storage cartridges by means of a regulating device and mixed in a mixing device. DE 41 10 299 C1 provides a similar solution. A disadvantage of these solutions is that the cosmetic products are stored in the storage cartridges and therefore either contain preservatives or have only a limited shelf life.
A pack for cosmetic products is furthermore known from U.S. Pat. No. 1,282,485. The pack comprises a lower part which has a plurality of hollow-like depressions for receiving cosmetic products. Said hollows are closed on the upper side by a cover mounted rotatably on the lower part. The cover has an opening, the dimensions of which approximately correspond to those of the hollows. By rotation of the cover, the opening can be placed over one of the hollows such that the required product can be removed as the need arises. This solution also has the disadvantage that the cosmetic products which are ready for use and are stored in the hollows either have to contain preservatives or have only a limited shelf life.